Two games up and all pumped-up, the Tigers and the Beermen go for the kill in their respective best-of-five semifinal showdowns with the Phone Pals and the Realtors tonight — an ambitious double-kill bid that will ensure a sweep by the SMC stable of the bride and the bridesmaid tags in the tourney.
Coca-Cola takes the first shot at the finals versus the beleaguered Talk n Text squad at 5 p.m. then San Miguel against the embattled Sta. Lucia team at 7:30 p.m. at the Astrodome.
Coaches Chot Reyes of Coca-Cola and Jong Uichico of San Miguel are not ruling out a comeback by their rivals but both promise to unleash the lethal blows that will send the Tigers-Beermen Sister Act all the way to the finals.
"It aint over till it’s over but we’ll definitely try to end it Friday," said Reyes.
"I have to admit malaking lamang ito. Everything can still happen like Talk n Text winning three in a row. Pero siyempre pipilitin namin na huwag mangyari ito," said Uichico.
If Coca-Cola and San Miguel hurdle Talk n Text and Sta. Lucia, the Tigers and the Beermen arrange a rematch of their All-Filipino semifinal duel last year. The Tigers then bucked injuries to key players and went all the way to win the championship.
With emphatic wins in Games One and Two, everything seems to be on the side of the sister squads, including history itself.
For the record, all 17 teams which took a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five semis playoffs all completed a triumphant ride. Ten scored a sweep, four clinched the series in Game Four and three won in Game Five.
But Reyes and Uichico feel their rivals are capable of defying history.
"Remember we beat them in the first two games of the All-Filipino finals. In the end, talo kami," said Reyes. Uichico also had that Talk n Text feat in mind.
Incidentally, the Phone Pals have figured in four knockout games this season and won them all, including a controversial one against the Red Bull Barako Thunder in the Invitationals. They beat the Thunder by one but still missed the semifinals with an inferior quotient.
That led to a farce of an endgame where Phone Pals took shots on their rivals’ basket to force overtime play and later drew the ire of the league chief that slapped them fines and suspensions.
The Realtors, on the other hand, are 1-of-2 in knockout duels.
The Phone Pals had looked headed for a victory Wednesday before wavering in the face of a resolute pressing defense by the Tigers in the third quarter and lost the game in a tupsy-turvy finish.
Johnny Abarrientos outsprinted Damien Cantrell for a le ad pass by Donbel Belano in the closing seconds, and the Tigers sealed a stirring 109-105 come-from-behind win.
"This is the best illustration of the grit, guts and character of the team. We’re not supposed to win the game. But in the end, lumabas ang isang big strength ng team….. determination not to lose," said Reyes.
"At halftime, kinausap ko ang mga players telling them magpahinga na lang tayo at ireserba na lang ang lakas sa next game. Pero ayaw nila," Reyes added.